Austin, Texas has been on our list to visit for quite some time. Austin has a totally different vibe than other cities in Texas like Houston or Dallas. Instead of cowboy hats and country music, it is filled with young, hip spots, trendy restaurants, artsy murals, and outdoor music. Planning a trip to Austin is exciting and easy especially with this travel guide. I’ll be sharing the best hotels, my favorite taco spots + my top things to do while visiting Austin!
WHERE TO STAY IN AUSTIN – FAVORITE HOTELS
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THE AUSTIN MOTEL: this retro motel is located on South Congress + surrounded by some of the city’s most interesting dining, nightlife + shopping, with easy access to bus lines + Austin’s lovely hike and bike trail that connects to Zilker Park, Barton Springs Pool and the Barton Creek greenbelt. The this motel opened its doors in 1938 and has never closed them since. The design and decor was really what had me smitten. I love every detail. And, it is affordable.
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KIMPTON HOTEL VAN ZANDT: well, I just love Kimpton hotels. Each Kimpton hotel is tailored to the location which makes each one unique. This hotel sits right next door to Rainey Street which is the best area filled with quaint spots and restaurants. And, y’all, this hotel has a rooftop pool!!!
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SOUTH CONGRESS HOTEL: this is a boutique hotel located in the heart of Austin’s iconic South Congress shopping, dining and entertainment district. The hotel features 71 guest rooms, 10 suites, two premier suites, three restaurants, a coffee shop, rooftop pool, lobby bar, retail shops, parking garage and valet. What draws me most to this hotel is the mid century decor.
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WHAT TO DO IN AUSTIN – FAVORITE SPOTS
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MURAL HUNTING: This is what Bella and I were most excited about. From the “I Love You So Much” wall to the Austin city mural wall located at Mary and 1st Street. They have so many to see that it would take an entire day to see them all. “You’re My Butter Half” mural is a little further away but super cute. It is located at 2000 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. “Before I Die” wall was a fun spot located at 206 E. Elizabeth St. We also loved the Mr. Roger’s mural too. He is a classic for all of us older folks and located on South Congress.
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SHOPPING: South Congress is the place for this. They have modern boutiques, vintage stores, and lots of hipster shops with handmade items. They also have the cutest, candy shop filled with candy that I haven’t seen since I was in elementary school!! Bella and I hopped on Uber scooters to scope it all out before making our decision on which shops to visit. We also enjoyed making a stop at the Kendra Scott flagship store. We sipped on some Chai lattes that we bought at the cafe inside of the store. This is a must.
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RAINEY STREET: It runs parallel with South Congress, and it has a quaint, charming vibe. All the businesses were created from old houses + have inviting patios with string lights + seating. We did see lots of people getting toasty, but it is such a cool area to just chill + enjoy hanging out. It reminded me of some spots in New Orleans. If you like to go out at night, this is your area to visit.
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BARTON SPRINGS: This is a recreational outdoor swimming pool that is filled entirely with water from nearby natural springs. It is located on the grounds of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. Half of the pool still has the natural rocks which makes it very cool. There is a fee for each person: $9 for adults and $4-5 for children. And, it is closed on Thursdays.
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RIVER CRUISE: This type of excursions is located on Lady Bird Lake in Austin. It is very reasonable priced! They have bat watching tours and sightseeing tours. Reviews state that this is the best views of the bats. They have multiple cruise lines/boats to choose from.
CHECK OUT THE BATS: Watching the bats in Austin is a must!! They sleep under the bridge on South Congress during the day, and at sunset each evening, they fly off. It’s a city classic thing to do when visiting Austin.
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SOUTH CONGRESS: As stated earlier, I suggest hopping on an Uber scooter to see all that this street has to offer. From food trucks to coffee spots to live music, they have it all and so much more. I personally didn’t need to venture off from this area. It was my favorite.
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VISIT AN ALPACA FARM: So, this was on the top of the list for this trip. I had a hard time finding a farm that was still open to giving tours. After much research, TIERRA PROMETIDA ALPACAS was the perfect farm for us. You do have to set up an appointment. It was about an hour away from Austin, and it was worth it. It was very educational, and Jenny was so personable + patient with us. And, how cute is Reverie?!!! I wanted to steal her. And, if you have time, stop by the Leaning Pear for the most delicious, fresh meal.
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WHERE TO EAT IN AUSTIN – FAVORITE FOOD
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ANTHEM: This is a Tex-Asian pub located on Rainey Street. First of all, it is so flippin’ cute + is an Instagram worthy spot. And, second of all, the food was outstanding. It had some unique, food items which is right up my alley. The burger and the sweet potato waffle fries were to die for. And, y’all, it made the USA TODAY’s 10 Best Best New Restaurant in 2018.
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HILLSIDE FARMACY: This spot is super cute. It’s located about 10 minutes from South Congress. This building was a pharmacy back in the day but turned into an eclectic, chic restaurant. The food was again so delicious. Make sure to have reservations just in case. It is a popping place.
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TORCHY’S: So, Bella and I ordered almost one of everything on the menu. The corn, queso and Independent {fried portobello mushroom} were our favorites. This is a perfect spot for lunch. And, they have Topo Chico!!
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HOME SLICE PIZZA: Pizza is my favorite food ever, and I was excited that this authentic NY style pizza spot was located right across the street from our motel. It is sold by the slice or pie. The cheese was AMAZING. I liked the pepperoni too. Can’t wait to visit this place again.
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There was also lots of food trucks to choose from on South Congress and Rainey Street. We had some yummy fresh juice that helped quench our thirst in the 110 degree weather.
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WHERE TO WEAR IN AUSTIN
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Let me just say this: the HEAT is way more intense in Austin than in New Orleans. I didn’t wear anything super fitted. Flow-y tops and dresses were the best for their weather. I’ll link some of the items that I packed below.
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I LOVE 😍 this blog post! It is so well done – I love the suggestions and photos. I’m moving to ATX in a month, so this post really helped me with yummy restaurants to eat at and fun activities to do.
Oh yay!!! So glad to hear!! You are going to LOVE Austin!!!!!